Muted
by abbywesten
Summary: Tony gets attacked at a crime scene. Gibbs is furious, Tim feels guilty. Team friendship.
1. Chapter 1

**Muted**

A/N: This is my first stab at writing fan fiction so please bear that in mind. I've tried to stay true to the characters but this is a lot harder than I thought it would be. Also, I'm not an expert on, well, anything, so keep that in mind too! Please read and review, let me know if I'm on the right track! Team friendship story (centered around Tony), NO SLASH.

By the way, I do not own NCIS or any of the characters. Although it would be nice if I did!

**********

Tim sighed.

Without Ziva there to deflect some of Tony's attention, DiNozzo had been driving him up the wall all morning. Throwing wadded up paper and carefully blowing straw wrappers in his direction, not to mention chattering incessantly. At one point he had caused Tim to hit his head. McGee had been underneath his desk, hooking up his new computer when Tony chose that moment to sneak up on him. By now, Tim had had just about enough.

"INCOMING!" shouted Tony, as yet another paper missile bounced off McGee's head.

"Tony, please!!" pleaded Tim. "You may not be busy, but I'm trying to get some work done. Will you just leave me alone?!"

DiNozzo momentarily stilled and appeared to be considering it. Then he grinned. "What are you so busy with, Elf Lord?" he teased. " Trying to save the princess from an evil monster?"

Tim rolled his eyes and for the thousandth time thought _Get well soon, Ziva, I can't take much more of this special one-on-one time with him._ Thankfully, right about then Gibbs charged into the bullpen. "Gear up! We've got a dead Marine. DiNozzo! You and McGee head out to Quantico, I've got to be in MTAC. Fifteen minutes at most. I'll be right behind you." He tossed the keys at Tony, who caught them mid-flight and dangled them in front of Tim's nose. "Come on, McGeek, I'll race ya to the car."

DiNozzo kept it up during the drive to Quantico, teasing Tim mercilessly and mocking his alter ego Thom E. Gemcity. Finally McGee reached his limit and snapped. "GOD, TONY, JUST SHUT UP. I would be THRILLED if I never had to hear your voice again! You are the most obnoxious person I've ever met, and I don't know what I did in a past life to deserve being stuck here with YOU. God hates me, that's what it is. Or maybe just Gibbs hates me."

Tony chuckled. "Aw, come on Probie. You'd miss my witty banter. You know you love it!"

"Whatever," McGee grumbled. "Just give it a rest, will you?"

They pulled up to the base entrance at Quantico and Tony showed the guards his ID. Once inside, they carefully drove through the winding streets to reach the crime scene, which had been cordoned off by the MPs. The agents pulled their equipment out of the trunk and quickly got to work.

Tim started tagging evidence and Tony was at the edge of the trees taking photos. At that moment Tony noticed a path of trampled grass heading deeper into the woods. He saw movement out of the corner of his eye.

Tony didn't know what had run past him, but his gut told him that it was somehow involved with the case. He pulled his gun and was quietly following the trampled path when he heard a twig snap nearby.

The attack came out of nowhere.


	2. Chapter 2

It all happened so fast that Tony didn't have time to react. He was in the woods and he saw motion and the glint of metal coming from the right and then there was only pain. He fell to his knees as his attacker escaped into the forest.

_Damn_, was all he had time to think before the darkness claimed him.

When Tony came to he was temporarily confused but the sharp pain in his neck and throat – and the fact that he was having some difficulty breathing - was a quick reminder of the sudden assault. He tried to get to his feet but found he was dizzy.

_Gotta get back...tell Gibbs…Probie!_ Tony fumbled in his pocket for his cell, pausing momentarily when dark spots swam in his vision. He couldn't remember the last time he had been in so much pain. He closed his eyes and tried to take a few deep, calming breaths before finding his phone and hitting the speed dial for McGee.

"Tony?" McGee answered on the first ring. "It's about time! You done taking pictures yet? Gibbs got here half an hour ago and we've already wrapped up here, what took you so long?"

Tony tried to answer but found he could not. He opened his mouth but no sound came out. He sat there, gasping for air, trying to say something – ANYTHING – to make McGee understand. _Probie…help…_Tony tried to say, but Tim could not hear it.

"Geez, Tony, now you're making prank calls? That's very adult. I can hear you breathing, you know. Feel free to call me back when you feel like acting your age. You're such an idiot sometimes." McGee hung up.

_Please, Tim_, DiNozzo thought desperately. _Please help me. I can't speak! Why can't I make a sound?! What the hell is wrong with me? _Tony was on the verge of full-scale panic when his mind cleared enough for him to realize that he could send McGee a text message.

Less than 100 yards away from where Tony was now struggling to remain conscious, McGee's phone dinged to indicate an incoming text. HELP, was all it said. When McGee saw that the message was from DiNozzo he suddenly realized that he had made a terrible mistake. _Oh God_, he thought, _Gibbs is going to kill me._

McGee didn't allow himself to ponder the repercussions of Gibbs' wrath for long. He immediately flipped open his cell and called Abby, instructing her to locate the GPS signal from Tony's phone. "Boss!" he shouted over his shoulder at Gibbs, " Tony needs help! This way!" He didn't bother to elaborate further, knowing full well that there was no need. Following Abby's directions, Tim took off for the woods at a dead run with Gibbs - and Ducky - hot on his heels. _Hang on Tony,_ he thought. _We're coming._

After sending his one-word message, Tony sat with his back against a tree trying desperately to remain calm. _Don't panic,_ he thought. _Probie's coming._ He closed his eyes against the pain. _Hurry up, Probie. Kinda getting fuzzy here. A little help would be great. Breathe in, breathe out._

Within minutes he could hear the sound of people crashing through the undergrowth towards him. McGee, Gibbs and Ducky burst out of the trees into the small clearing. Ducky and Gibbs knelt down at Tony's side. "Oh, my dear boy. What happened?" Ducky asked. He began to carefully examine the large vicious-looking bruise that was already appearing on Tony's throat. Tony slid his eyes in Tim's direction. McGee recognized the unspoken request. "I…I don't think he can speak, Ducky," McGee began sheepishly. "He called me before and I thought it was a prank…he didn't say anything so I hung up. Then he texted me and that's when I realized he wasn't goofing around." At the admission, Gibbs turned his ice-blue eyes away from Tony just long enough to lock Tim in a steely glare. Tim gulped and started to stammer an apology, only to be cut off.

"Later." Gibbs said curtly. "Right now we need to get Tony to a hospital." Tony began to shake his head and tried to stand up, but Ducky gently stopped him. "Now, now, Anthony," Ducky soothed, "Calm down. While I would prefer to have you examined at hospital, I can take X-rays back at autopsy to confirm my suspicions. I know how you hate hospitals, so we'll try to avoid it if we can. Okay?" Tony nodded and obediently settled back against the tree, closing his eyes and taking deep breaths.

"What's wrong with him?" Gibbs demanded to know. "He looks as though he was hit across the throat." Ducky nodded in agreement and explained further. "I believe the young lad has damaged his larynx. If he were hit with enough force, it would explain this bruising and also his inability to speak or make sounds. The initial swelling would also cause the mild difficulty in breathing. I'll take scans to be sure but I'm 99% certain." Gibbs sighed, once again lamenting Tony's uncanny ability to find trouble in the most unlikely of places.

"Let's get him back home, he's clearly in quite a bit of pain." Ducky's quiet instruction pulled Gibbs back to the present.

"McGee!" Gibbs barked. "Get the car. Bring it as close to the tree line as possible. Hurry it up." As Tim scurried back toward the crime scene, Ducky and Gibbs each took a position on either side of Tony and carefully helped him to his feet. He swayed a little at first, but was able to make it out of the densely wooded area mostly under his own power. Once they reached the car, Ducky gently eased Tony into the backseat while Gibbs instructed McGee and Palmer to finish up at the scene.

Tony lay across the seat and tried to get as comfortable as he could. He was finding it much easier to breathe now that the initial shock had worn off, but his throat still throbbed miserably. He allowed himself to doze to the sound of Ducky's cultured voice regaling Gibbs with yet another long-winded story from his youth. Tony was too tired and sore to pay attention to the words but he found the quiet drone very soothing. _I doubt Gibbs would agree_, was the last thing he thought before falling asleep completely.


	3. Chapter 3

Tony slowly awoke to find himself back at the Navy Yard. In Autopsy even, although he had no recollection of arriving. He groggily realized that he wasn't in as much pain as before, no doubt the work of one Dr. Donald Mallard. _No argument there_, Tony thought.

"Gibbs Gibbs Gibbs!" Abby flew through the sliding doors and directly into Gibbs' arms, who had just appeared at Tony's side. _Where did he come from?_ Tony briefly wondered. "Tony!" she worried, "what did you do to yourself this time?"

Due to the thankful absence of pain, Tony had momentarily forgotten about his current situation. He opened his mouth to answer her and was surprised to find that no words were forthcoming.

"He injured his larynx, Abbs. He can't speak," Gibbs explained. "Ducky says it could be a few weeks before he gets his voice back, but he'll be okay."

"Oh, Tony! Why does this stuff always happen to you? You get in more trouble than all of the other agents combined!! That's okay, you can sign. I taught you when you were recovering from the plague, remember?" Abby bounced up and down excitedly, her pigtails swaying from side to side.

Now that she mentioned it, Tony did remember. His throat had been so raw and sore from coughing that he had found it near impossible to speak then too. _Probably pretty rusty_, he thought, _but if nothing else I can fingerspell. _

-Yes- Tony signed carefully, -I remember. Good thing you taught me. My handwriting sucks.-

Gibbs and Abby both chuckled. "Yes it does," they said in unison. Gibbs' smile quickly faded.

"Tony," Gibbs said, "can you tell me what happened? Do you know who hit you?"

-I was taking pictures near the trees and saw something run past. I followed and someone hit me with what looked like a metal pipe. It happened too fast, I just caught a glimpse. Didn't see their face.- Tony signed the last part with a look of regret. He hated the fact that he couldn't give a description of his attacker. _Some investigator,_ he thought with disgust. _I can't believe I didn't see anything useful to help us catch this bastard. _He looked down at his hands.

Gibbs knew DiNozzo well enough to clearly tell what he was thinking, spoken words or no. "Hey. Don't do that." Tony avoided his gaze. Gibbs grabbed the younger man's chin and forced him to make eye contact. "DON'T. This is not your fault. You were attacked, there's nothing you could have done. It could have happened to any of us." Gibbs was firm. "I mean it, Tony. Don't torture yourself over this. We'll catch the guy. In the meantime, Abby is going to take you home."

-I'm fine- Tony started to protest, but Gibbs grabbed his long fingers before he could finish and gently forced them down. "GO. HOME. Ducky says if you rest tonight then you can come back on desk duty tomorrow if you feel up to it. And I need you here. So go." Gibbs knew that appealing to DiNozzo's sense of duty was often the only way to make him acquiesce in situations like this. DiNozzo knew it too, judging from the look on his face. He could tell that he'd been played, but Gibbs didn't care. Whatever it took to make his agent rest.

Ducky appeared just then, and proceeded to give Abby instructions for Tony's care. After many years of acting as DiNozzo's personal physician he knew exactly how stubborn the young man could be, which is why Abby made the perfect caretaker. She was the one person Anthony couldn't ever refuse. "He may have difficulty swallowing until the swelling goes down a little more, but the injection of painkillers I gave should hold him over until the morning so he won't have to swallow any pills. Eating could be an issue too so I recommend a nice milkshake for dinner. Plus the cold will feel soothing and may help with the swelling, so two birds with one stone."

-Not hungry- Tony signed sullenly. The trio ignored him.

"And he must keep absolutely quiet. No attempts at speaking, he needs to rest his vocal cords and larynx completely so that they have a chance to heal. You know how he can be, Abigail, so please make sure he rests," Ducky continued.

-Hey!- Tony moved his hands agitatedly. -Mute, not deaf!-

"Yes, Tony, we know that, but you are also ridiculously stubborn and neglectful of your own health. So hush." Abby scolded him, before turning her attention back to Ducky. Tony rolled his eyes.

Ducky finally addressed Tony directly. "My dear Anthony, do behave for Abigail. She has your best interests at heart."

"And if you give her trouble you'll answer to me," added Gibbs.

"That's right!" Abby chirped. "Now let's go, Tony." Tony sighed heavily, but allowed himself to be helped off the table and out of Autopsy.

-Where's Tim? I owe him a thanks.- Tony wanted to know.

"Uh, I'm not sure. I haven't seen him since he dropped the evidence off in my lab," Abby hedged.

Tony could tell that Abby wasn't giving him the full story. He easily conveyed his thoughts with a look.

"I kind of yelled at him a little. Maybe. But Tony, he didn't believe you when you called him for help! Timmy should have known you weren't joking around! You wouldn't joke about needing help! You never joke about that sort of thing, Tony. You hate asking for help!"

Tony scrubbed a hand down his face. _Poor McGee. I don't blame him for thinking that I was goofing off, I'd been torturing the poor kid all morning. Need to tell Abby..._it suddenly dawned on Tony that he was really wiped out and starting to get a little unsteady on his feet. He swayed back and forth and Abby grabbed his elbow.

"Whoa, come on. Let's get you home before you pass out."

-DiNozzos do NOT pass out!- Tony was adamant.

Abby laughed at that. "Whatever, tough guy. Let's go." They had reached her hearse by then and Abby helped him into the passenger seat. The gentle rocking of the big car, coupled with Abby's incessant chatter, lulled Tony back to sleep within minutes.

"Tony? Tony! We're here, wake up!" Tony groggily awakened, and was greeted by the sight of the wide-eyed Goth. "Come on, Tony. Time for bed!" She helped him up the stairs and into his apartment. Tony didn't think he'd ever been so glad to see his big fluffy bed. He had barely managed to get his shoes off before collapsing in a boneless heap. Abby smiled at her slumbering friend as she closed the door and skipped down the hall.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N - Thank you for all the great reviews! I'm really enjoying writing this story, although I'm not quite positive where it will end up. I do have a pretty good idea but just need to keep working on it until I'm happy with the results. -abby

**********

The soft light streaming through the blinds brought Tony back to consciousness. He stretched and groaned inwardly as the movement reminded him of his injury. _That painkiller must be wearing off. Finally. It was making me way too sleepy._ Tony dragged himself out of bed and went to answer the call of nature.

Tony was startled at the reflection staring back at him from the bathroom mirror. He looked exhausted – even more so than he felt – but the worst part was the dark, vicious bruising that covered most of his neck and throat. _Wow,_ Tony mused. _No wonder it hurts like hell. _He started the shower, making the water as hot as he could stand it.

After almost a half-hour of standing under the water, Tony began to feel a little better. Much cleaner, anyway, and somewhat hungry as well. He toweled off and dressed in his favorite jeans and button-down shirt. Tony soon realized that there was no chance he could hide the bruising unless he planned on wearing a turtleneck sweater in the middle of summer. He hated the looks of pity he got from his coworkers when he showed up at work sporting a visible injury. Unfortunately it didn't seem to be avoidable this time. _Guess this will have to do_, Tony thought in annoyance.

He wasn't surprised to find Gibbs at his kitchen table, sipping coffee and reading the paper. Even though his boss hadn't made a sound Tony had known he was there. For one thing, Gibbs' coffee was so strong that DiNozzo could have smelled it from the next county. And for another, this wasn't the only time that Tony had been injured on the job. The first time (or three) that he had discovered Gibbs in his apartment the next morning it had been a bit of a shock. But now Tony knew that his boss had his six.

"Morning. You hungry?" Gibbs jerked his head in the direction of the refrigerator. "Brought you a milkshake. Abby's sorry she couldn't stay, but I needed her to process the evidence." Tony nodded his understanding and sat down after retrieving his milkshake. Gibbs reached across the table and lifted the younger man's chin to get a better look at the damage. He cringed involuntarily but quickly covered his reaction. Gibbs knew better than most how DiNozzo felt about pity.

-Bad, I know- signed Tony. There was no point in denying it. He took a sip of his milkshake and swallowed with some effort.

"You've looked worse," Gibbs said. It was true. When DiNozzo had been infected with Y. Pestis he had looked a hell of a lot worse than he did currently. At least right now Tony was still Tony, if battered and bruised. During his battle with the plague DiNozzo had been a ghost of himself, pale and thin and tinged with blue...Gibbs had been terrified that he'd never have his senior agent - his friend - back at a hundred percent. Gibbs shook his head to derail the depressing line of thought. _Enough,_ he mentally admonished himself. _DiNozzo is fine. Or will be._

Out loud he said, "You ready for this? You could take another day, you know."

-Right- DiNozzo responded swiftly. -I could sit around here all day feeling sorry for myself instead of helping find the bastard that did this.-

Gibbs smiled. He had of course known what the answer would be before he even asked the question. "Let's go, then. Ducky will want to have a look at you."

It didn't escape Gibbs' notice that DiNozzo had only consumed about a third of his milkshake before throwing it in the trash, but he decided to let it go for now. He knew the young man was hurting more than he let on, and while Tony would finish the milkshake if Gibbs ordered it there was no point in pushing him just yet. But if things continued as they usually did, Gibbs knew he would have to lay down the law sooner rather than later.

_Let's get this over with_, Tony thought as he grabbed his backpack and Sig and silently headed for the door. _The sooner we get there, the sooner I can start ignoring all the looks of sympathy. Well, at least this time I won't have to answer a bunch of questions about what happened._ The thought cheered him somewhat during the fifteen minute drive.

Gibbs wondered what Tony was thinking about, but having to watch the road precluded having a conversation at the moment. It would have to wait until they got to the Navy Yard. It was unnerving to have a silent Tony sitting by his side. DiNozzo was so frenetic, so very full of energy, that usually he was driving Gibbs insane within seconds of being cooped up in a vehicle - chattering constantly, singing along with the radio and generally going out of his way to annoy everyone in the car. The quiet stillness was just...wrong.

When they pulled into the parking garage, Gibbs shut off the engine and turned to face the young man. "Hey," he said softly. "You want to talk about it?"

Tony smirked. -Funny,- he signed.

"DiNozzo. Poor choice of words, but you know what I mean. Are you sure you're up for this? This is going to be a major adjustment for you, Tony. Temporary or not, it would be hard on anyone." Gibbs tapped Tony gently on the cheek.

-I'm okay, Boss. I just need to get back to work.- Tony was again thankful that Abby had insisted on teaching him how to sign. He hoped that it would make the next few weeks infinitely less frustrating, although Gibbs and Abby were about the only two people at NCIS that he would be able to easily communicate with. Abby had once tried to insist that Tim at least learn how to fingerspell, but even she hadn't been patient enough to successfully teach the technology-minded junior agent. She eventually declared him a lost cause. _McGee._ Tony suddenly remembered what Abby had said the night before, about yelling at him for responding too slowly. Tony strongly suspected that Abby had not been the only one angry with McGee about that.

-McGee okay?- Tony carefully asked his boss, waiting for the inevitable explosion.

"Hell if I know, or even care right now. I expect my team to respond appropriately in the field and yesterday McGee certainly did NOT. If you had been severely injured, the delay he caused could have meant the difference between life and death." Gibbs glowered furiously.

-It's my fault, I had been hassling him all day. He had every right to think that I was still just messing with him.- DiNozzo looked at his boss.

"Don't you dare take the blame for him. He should have known that you would never be that irresponsible while at a scene. His behavior was completely unacceptable." Gibbs was not about to be placated. Tony might act like a childish frat boy sometimes but he didn't ever cross the line that way. And as far as Gibbs was concerned, McGee should have known DiNozzo far better than to assume as such.

Tony could see that he would not easily change Gibbs' mind. _Not that I can argue all that effectively right now anyway._ He looked at Gibbs pointedly. -Just take it easy on the kid, would you? If I know Probie he feels bad enough already.- Gibbs was clearly still livid, but he nodded shortly and moved to get out of the car. "I won't kill him. Beyond that, no promises."

Upon exiting the elevator, Tony could feel all eyes on him. Gibbs could apparently sense his discomfort and barked, loud enough for all to hear, "Hey! Don't you people have work to do?" The onlookers quickly dispersed, not daring to make eye contact with the notoriously cranky lead agent.

As DiNozzo settled himself at his desk, he could practically feel the waves of tension coming off of Timothy McGee. The MIT graduate was hunched over about as far as he possibly could be, typing furiously and clearly avoiding looking in Tony's - or Gibbs' - direction.

"DiNozzo. Go see Ducky." Gibbs motioned toward Autopsy, his eyes never leaving McGee.

Tony stood, then knocked on his desk to get Gibbs' attention. When his boss finally turned in his direction Tony signed -Hey, remember what you promised.-

He could practically see Tim trying to become invisible as the elevator doors slid closed.


	5. Chapter 5

McGee was miserable. Gibbs had been staring at him for several minutes now. Just silently staring. Tim could feel the cold blue eyes boring into the top of his head, but could not bring himself to look up. He knew that he was in trouble, and wished that his boss would just get on with it already. Yelling would be preferable to the torture of waiting. Not to mention how unnerving it was to be stared down like this.

He knew he'd screwed up, and he felt horrible about it. Not only had he told Tony that he never wanted to hear his voice again, he hadn't rushed to help his friend when he was injured in the line of duty. _You will be lucky if Gibbs doesn't fire your ass right now,_ Tim thought. _Even if he doesn't, can you ever face DiNozzo again? He probably hates you, and rightfully so._

McGee was gathering the courage to open his mouth and apologize when he was granted a short reprieve. Gibbs had been summoned to MTAC. As his boss took the stairs two at a time, Tim let out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding. He knew it was only delaying the inevitable, but if he could find a break in the case before Gibbs returned maybe that would get him back in good graces. _HA_, he snorted bitterly. _Good graces. I'll be lucky if it saves my life._

Down in Autopsy, Dr. Mallard was fussing over the dark, painful-looking bruises on Tony's throat. "My, my, Anthony. This looks far worse than I expected." Normally Tony would have responded with some smart remark, but since that wasn't an option he just shrugged. "Are you still in pain?" Another shrug. "I see," Ducky replied. He pulled a syringe and vial out of his medical bag. Tony began to shake his head adamantly. "My dear boy, you are almost as bad as Jethro. You're undoubtedly in a significant amount of pain whether you choose to admit it or not. This will make you feel much better." Tony continued to refuse, and when he pantomimed sleeping Ducky quickly understood. "Ah, I see your point," the elderly ME nodded. "Then how about a partial dose? That should take the edge off the pain without making you groggy." DiNozzo considered it, then allowed Ducky to administer the injection. He smiled his thanks and hopped off the table. Before Tony walked away, the doctor caught his arm. "If the pain gets worse, or if you continue to have difficulty swallowing, please come see me." DiNozzo nodded in agreement, but both men knew it was a lie. Anthony DiNozzo was the second most stubborn patient that Dr. Mallard had ever dealt with, and he had learned it from the very best.

Tony was almost through the sliding doors when he realized he hadn't gotten the answer to an important question. He attracted the doctor's attention by tapping on a nearby metal washbasin. "How long?" Tony mouthed silently, while pointing at his throat. Ducky looked him straight in the eye. "At least two to three weeks, longer if you try to push yourself too soon," was the pointed response. Tony's face fell, but he nodded his understanding and continued out the door.

McGee was combing again through information about the case, hoping to find something new that could lead them to the killer. Or Tony's attacker. At this point McGee wasn't going to be picky about which one it was. He had been working without a break since 0500 and by now had practically memorized every detail of the murdered Marine's life, including all of the man's known associates. Suddenly he noticed something he had overlooked before, and raced toward Abby's lab to double-check the evidence. _This could be it,_ he thought excitedly.

Instead of heading directly back up to the bullpen, Tony decided to first pay Abby a visit. He wanted to get her opinion on how best to deal with Tim. Abby might be angry at McGee but Tony knew if he explained the full situation that she – unlike Gibbs - would quickly change her tune. That was one of his favorite things about the forensic scientist. She couldn't stay mad at anyone for long. _I wish everyone could be so forgiving. Would make my life a hell of a lot easier sometimes_. Tony was lost in thought as he rounded the corner.

Tim was so focused on getting to the lab to prove his theory that he didn't see DiNozzo step into the hall right in front of him.


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Thanks again for the reviews and alerts! I'm glad you guys are enjoying the story so far. I think I have a better idea of where I'm headed with it now. This chapter gets a little more "technical" and case-related than the others, and while I did a little research please keep in mind that I'm not an expert of any sort. Poetic license and all that. :) -abby

*********

Abby was changing the CDs in her player when she heard a crash and a strangled hiss of pain. She rushed into the hall to find McGee and DiNozzo in a heap on the floor. It wasn't hard for her to figure out what had happened.

"GOD, McGee, are you TRYING to kill him?" Abby glared at Tim as she knelt down beside DiNozzo, who was clutching at his throat and gasping for air.

"Tony, oh my God, I am so sorry, it was an accident! I swear! Are you okay? Oh my God I'm so sorry!" McGee got to his feet and started frantically pacing and wringing his hands. "I'm sorry! You must hate me! I can't believe this! Now I've made things even worse! I can't do anything right!" Tim was beginning to babble.

Tony finally caught his breath, and from his spot on the floor forced shaking hands to sign –I'm okay. I'm okay, no harm done. Calm him down.-

"Are you sure you're not hurt?" Abby was concerned at how pale he looked, but DiNozzo nodded and motioned at Tim. "McGee!" Abby tried to get the panicky agent's attention. "Timmy! He's fine! You didn't hurt him! Tony's okay. Stop freaking out!"

McGee stopped in his tracks and looked down at Tony. "Are you sure? I mean I hit you pretty hard and-" DiNozzo stopped him with a look and gestured for Tim to help him up. Once Tony had regained his footing he clapped McGee on the shoulder and smiled, then signed a few words. "Good as new, see?" Abby helpfully interpreted.

- Abby, don't be mad at him about yesterday. It's not his fault. I had been a pain in the ass all morning. I don't blame him at all for assuming that I was joking around. And tell him that I'm not mad at him.- Tony finished his piece and looked at Abby expectantly. She put her hands on her hips for a moment, then quickly began signing right back at him -Just because you are going to let him off the hook that easily doesn't mean I will. You could have been killed, mister.- DiNozzo rolled his eyes.

"Um, guys? Are you talking about me?" McGee asked nervously.

Abby looked over her shoulder at him. "Yes, we are, and I'd appreciate it if you would keep out of it." At that, Tony glared at Abby and emphatically repeated his earlier gestures. –Tell him I'm not mad. Tell him!- She huffed indignantly but turned to the very confused McGee. "He says he's not mad at you, and he doesn't want me to be mad at you either. He seems to think that I'm overreacting." Tony grinned and touched his nose, as if playing Charades. Abby giggled in spite of herself.

Tim didn't look convinced. "I don't know, Tony. You should be mad at me, after what I said to you in the car before we even made it to the scene! What kind of a friend says that they never want to hear your voice ever again?" Abby gasped. "You SAID that? Timmy! That's terrible!"

"Tell me about it!" Tim agreed. "I feel awful, Tony, I'm so sorry. I really didn't mean it."

-Probie. I know you didn't mean that. You were just blowing off steam. Don't worry about it. I'm not mad, I promise.- Again Abby vocalized Tony's words, and this time they seemed to have an effect. Tim visibly relaxed, then brightened.

"I just remembered why I came down here in the first place, I think I may have a lead. Remember that small sliver of plastic we found at the scene? Did you ever get the results?" McGee directed the questions at Abby.

"You know, Major Mass Spec should be just about finished. I was about to check when I heard you two getting into trouble." The Goth scientist flounced back into her lab, black ponytails bobbing. Tony and Tim followed.

Abby checked the analysis results. "Let's see...hmm. The fragment is covered in the victim's blood, so it possibly came from the murder weapon. The plastic is polycarbonate. It's used in all sorts of everyday things, CDs, eyeglass lenses, computers-" Tim cut in to add, "and law enforcement batons." Abby nodded. "Yeah, why?"

McGee explained, "While I was reviewing the victim's records, I noticed that he was involved in a bar fight in Baltimore a few weeks ago. LEOs were called in to break it up. I pulled the Baltimore police file, and saw that the other person involved was a Vincent West. Apparently the fight started because our victim, Staff Sergeant Ramsey, had an affair with West's wife a year or so ago. Evidently West found out about it and tracked the Staff Sergeant down when he returned from Iraq last month. And it just so happens that Mr. West is a night security guard at a mall not far from Quantico." Abby saw where Tim was going and continued, "We didn't find the murder weapon. If West used his baton to kill Ramsey and was still near the scene when you guys arrived, he may have been the one to attack poor Tony!"

Tony closed his eyes and tried to think back. _I was taking photos, and saw something out in the woods. I followed, there was a snap and then a flash as the weapon caught the light. I thought it was metal, but it could have been reflecting off of a black baton. Maybe. I don't know. GOD! I wish I could remember!!_ DiNozzo slammed his fist down on the workbench.

Tim and Abby had been watching Tony closely and could tell he was extremely frustrated. Abby moved closer to him but stopped when she saw Gibbs standing in the doorway. He held up his hand and silently cautioned her to hold off.

"That's a good job, Tim." The praise was quiet, but sincere. Gibbs motioned for Abby and McGee to leave the lab, but not before instructing McGee to pick up Vincent West for questioning. That done, he turned his attention to DiNozzo.


	7. Chapter 7

For a moment Gibbs remained where he stood, quietly watching his senior field agent. DiNozzo was now leaning forward, head hanging, both palms flat on the work bench. His eyes were still closed and he was alarmingly pale.

"Tony." When he got no response, Gibbs moved closer and gently squeezed the back of Tony's neck. "Hey. You okay? Do I need to get Ducky?" Tony finally looked up. –Shouldn't you go with McGee? Seems harsh to send him to pick up a murder suspect alone.- Gibbs dropped his hand and replied, "Ziva's here. She can go with him. At the moment I'm more worried about you. You didn't answer my question."

Tony drew himself up to his full height and attempted a grin. –Don't worry about me. I'm fine.-

"You don't look fine. You look like crap. Have you eaten anything besides that milkshake you barely touched?" Not that Gibbs really needed Tony to answer that. He already knew.

-Not hungry- came the predictable response.

"Yeah." It wasn't agreement. "With me, DiNozzo. We need to get some food in you."

-I'm sure you have something better to do than babysit me.- DiNozzo didn't move. He refused to be a burden to anyone, much less his boss.

"Not at the moment. McGee and Ziva will be gone for a while, and if they do get back before us then Vincent West can just wait." Gibbs could see that his agent was about to dig in his heels, so he softened his tone. "Come on, Tony. Don't make me say please." That got a small smile out of DiNozzo and he gave in. Gibbs steered the younger man towards the elevator.

There was a deli just up the street that had excellent soup. Gibbs headed that direction with DiNozzo following reluctantly. Although the lead agent knew from experience that Tony generally didn't eat much when he was hurting, he also knew that right now the young man was still having some difficulty swallowing. His senior agent would never admit to that, of course, opting instead to just claim he wasn't hungry. As usual, Gibbs made it his mission to protect Tony from himself. He figured that soup should be a pretty safe bet.

Once they were settled at a table and the food had been ordered, Gibbs fixed Tony in a stare. He didn't beat around the bush. "Are you going to tell me what's going on? Or do I have to drag it out of you?" _We do this dance every time he gets hurt_, Gibbs thought_. He is always insistent on blaming himself._

Tony looked out the window. Gibbs knew better than to push, so he simply waited for the outburst. He did not have to wait long. DiNozzo turned to his boss, anguish evident on his face. -I'm completely useless. I didn't fight back or defend myself. I didn't see my attacker, so I'm no good as a witness. And like this- Tony gestured at his throat -I'm no good to you at all. I can't go out in the field or make phone calls or question suspects. I can't even easily communicate with my coworkers without you or Abby around to interpret. What am I supposed to do?-

It took a while for Tony to finish his diatribe. His hands were shaking and in his frustration he couldn't remember a lot of the signs so had to fingerspell instead. Once he was done he sat back and folded his arms defiantly across his chest, challenging Gibbs to argue.

_Every time_, Gibbs mused. _Every single time._ Just then the waitress returned, depositing two large bowls of soup in front of the agents. Gibbs waited until Tony grudgingly started to eat before picking up his own spoon. Once Gibbs was satisfied that DiNozzo had eaten a reasonable amount, he resumed the conversation.

"And how, exactly, is any of this your fault? You drew your gun before heading into the woods. You followed protocol. It's exactly what I would have done. There's no way you could have stopped the attack, and I'm not sure how you think you could have fought back since you never even saw it coming." Gibbs shook his head. "Don't be so hard on yourself, DiNozzo. You have enough to worry about right now without shouldering unnecessary blame. And you are plenty useful, voice or no. You'll cope. It's temporary, remember? There's nothing wrong with your brain, and believe it or not I don't just keep you around for your sparkling conversational skills."

Tony snorted at that, and though he didn't look entirely convinced he nodded.

_Good enough_, Gibbs decided. "Now let's go." He settled the bill as the waitress passed by. "We have a suspect to interrogate."


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: Getting close to the end, I think, but not quite there yet! More case-related stuff this time, but there will be more team interaction in the next chapter, promise. I found this chapter much harder to write than the others, so please let me know what you think. Still not an expert, still don't own NCIS…you know. The usual. Thanks again for all the reviews and alerts! -abby

**********

Tim and Ziva had just gotten the suspect settled in Interrogation and were watching from the observation area when DiNozzo joined them. Ziva looked up as the door opened and took in Tony's battered visage with a glance. She quickly suppressed the flash of sympathy in her dark eyes, but not before Tony saw it. He smiled at her and mouthed "I'm okay." Ziva smiled warmly at him in return and they turned their attention to the two-way mirror.

In typical Gibbs fashion, he stared down the suspect for a while, saying nothing. Then he began questioning, demanding to know West's whereabouts over the past twenty-four hours. Vincent West appeared unfazed by Gibbs' infamous glare. _Weird_, Tony thought from his position in the observation room. _Normally the ol' Gibbs stare makes them squirm at least a little_.

"I was at my apartment, asleep. I worked the night shift then went home to bed. I was not anywhere near the base at Quantico yesterday." West was eerily calm and matter-of-fact. Gibbs narrowed his eyes and asked about the bar fight.

"Yeah, I beat the hell out of him that night. So what? It was just my little way of saying 'thanks for ruining my marriage'. It doesn't mean I killed him." West smirked. "Of course, it also doesn't mean I'm sad the bastard's dead."

Gibbs continued with, "I suppose you also claim that you had nothing to do with the assault of a Federal officer at the crime scene, then?"

"I don't know anything about that. Told you I wasn't near Quantico that morning. Am I being charged with something?" West looked unconcerned. Gibbs wasn't about to take him at his word and demanded to know where his security baton was. Vincent West shrugged, "Don't ask me. It disappeared a couple days ago and I had to be issued a new one. You can ask my boss." Gibbs growled, "Oh, don't worry. We will." He threw a glance toward the observation room. Tim got the message and left to verify West's story.

Tony exchanged glances with Ziva. _Something's wrong,_ he thought. _This guy is creeping me out. Nobody is that calm while being interrogated. _Tony closed his eyes and again tried to remember anything useful about his attacker. _Still nothing. Dammit!_ When he opened his eyes he found that Ziva was watching him with concern. "What do you think, Tony? Could this be the man who attacked you?" she asked carefully. DiNozzo rubbed his hands down his face and shrugged. _I wish I knew._

At that moment, Gibbs lifted his hand and beckoned his senior agent into Interrogation. When Tony stepped in the door, Vincent West did not react. "This the guy I supposedly attacked? Couldn't have been too much of an assault, he's still standing."

Gibbs pinned West to the seat with his intense gaze. "I didn't ask for commentary. I want you to tell me what you know."

Unlike most people that Gibbs questioned, the security guard still didn't seem the least bit nervous. He looked past the two agents, staring at the wall. "I told you I don't know anything."

Tony looked at his boss meaningfully. _He's lying_. Gibbs agreed with a sharp nod.

The lead agent leaned across the table and got in West's personal space. "What really happened to your baton?" Gibbs barked.

Under Gibbs' watchful glare, West finally offered an explanation. He claimed that after his wife's affair with Staff Sergeant Ramsey, their marriage had dissolved. While technically still married, they hadn't lived together for some time. The security guard asserted that Kara West had shown up at his apartment recently, asking for some insurance papers. When West went into another room to look for the papers, he left his wife alone with his work uniform. "I didn't think much of it at the time, but that night was when I noticed the baton was missing. Kara could have easily taken it. Bitch is crazy, wouldn't surprise me a bit if she killed him herself." West finished his story and leaned back, a smug look on his face.

"Where is your wife now?" Gibbs demanded.

"Like I care. I haven't spoken with her since she stole my baton," was the cold response.

Gibbs and DiNozzo stepped out into the hall. Ziva came out of the observation area to meet them. "I do not like him, Gibbs," she said. "He is clearly hiding something." Just then, McGee came around the corner to add, "I agree, but his story checks out. Seems to, anyway. According to West's employer, he did report his issued baton as missing two days ago. And he worked the late shift the night before the murder, but clocked out at 0730 that morning. The Staff Sergeant was murdered around 0745, according to Ducky. There's no way to prove that he actually went home after his shift, but it would have been nearly impossible for him to make it over to Quantico in that 15 minutes," Tim concluded.

Gibbs considered the options. "McGee, Ziva, check with his neighbors. Maybe someone saw him come home. And find me Kara West! I want to talk to her. DiNozzo, you stay and keep an eye on our friend here. He may have an alibi but I don't like it. I'm not ready to let him off the hook just yet."_ And watch your six_, was the unspoken instruction that followed.

-On it- was Tony's swift response. He was grateful that his boss was allowing him to contribute. _It may be a babysitting assignment but it beats the hell out of sitting around doing nothing._ DiNozzo went back into Interrogation and pulled out his cell phone to begin a new game of Tetris. "Hey, can I go now?" the security guard demanded. Tony shook his head with a grin, then leaned back to prop his feet up on the table.

For his part, Gibbs charged down to Abby's lab. "What do you have, Abbs?" He handed the forensic scientist the Caf-Pow he had grabbed on the way.

"Gibbs Gibbs Gibbs! I was just about to call you! Wait, where's Tony? Gibbs! He shouldn't be alone right now!" Abby was bouncing up and down rapidly. "I'm really worried about him, Gibbs!"

"I know Abbs. I'm worried about him too but the best thing for him right now is to be useful. He's fine, just keeping an eye on our person of interest." Gibbs kissed her on the cheek. "I'm not going to let anything happen to him, Abby. I promise. Now, what have you got for me?"

"I'm holding you to that, mister. Now, let's see. I was double-checked everything that Tim bagged at the scene, and I didn't find any prints. Not even a partial. But, I did find evidence of a second victim. Not all of the blood belonged to Staff Sergeant Ramsey. There was a second blood type all over the scene – and Ramsey's body – and it was way too much to be from the killer. No way could someone have walked away after losing that much blood." Abby paused to take a breath. "Whoever did this was brutal, but methodical. Careful not to leave loose ends, although I'm not sure why they removed one body and not the other. It doesn't make sense. I think we're looking at a serious psycho here, Gibbs. It scares me for Tony, you know? I mean what if they think he could identify-"

Gibbs interrupted her ramblings. "Abbs! Is that it? Any idea who the second victim could be?"

"I was getting to that, Bossman! I'm running it now. Should get a match any-" this time Abby was cut off by the rapid beeping of her computer. "Okay! That was fast. The mystery blood belongs to one" - she squinted at the screen - "Kara West. She must be our other victim!" Abby spun around with a satisfied grin.

Suddenly everything clicked into place. Gibbs left a shocked forensic scientist standing in his wake as he suddenly turned on his heel and rushed out of the lab.


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: Next to last chapter! Hopefully I'll have this wrapped up today or tomorrow. Enjoy! -abby

**********

Tony sat across the table from West, playing Tetris on his cell phone. While it appeared that he was paying more attention to the phone than to his charge, he was actually just losing game after game while subtly keeping an eye on the suspect. _I don't trust him._ _I can't quite put my finger on it but this guy is really freaking me out_, Tony thought. _Maybe my gut is getting as sensitive as Gibbs'_, he chuckled to himself.

"So what's your deal?" West taunted. "Too good to speak to a lowly night security guard? Cat got your tongue? Or is it something else? Oh, I see. Those are some nice bruises you have there. That must hurt like a son of a bitch." DiNozzo didn't look up. As he went to start yet another game, the phone slipped out of Tony's hand and he bent to catch it. That was all the opportunity West needed. He lunged across the table.

Gibbs didn't think he'd ever moved so fast in his life. He ran up the stairs at breakneck speed. _Abby's right. If West thinks that DiNozzo can ID him_…Gibbs somehow managed to pick up the pace.

Tony had only a split-second to realize what was happening, and unfortunately Vincent West was built like a linebacker. While DiNozzo could certainly hold his own in a fight he was currently at a major disadvantage. The drugs Ducky had administered made his reaction time slow, and he was stiff and extremely sore in spite of the drugs.

Tony saw West heading in his direction. Since he was already halfway to the floor, all he could do was go the rest of the way. DiNozzo tucked into a ball and rolled. _I'll be damned if I let this guy get the drop on me twice._ He made it to his feet and plowed into West with his full weight. The larger man was still unbalanced from his initial lunge and Tony managed to take him down.

It didn't last. West was back up almost immediately and Tony was moving too slowly to avoid him this time. The security guard slammed DiNozzo into the wall, both hands clenched firmly around the agent's neck. Tony gasped, his world exploding in a white-hot burst of pain. _Boss, where are you? _DiNozzo was losing the battle to remain conscious. "You thought you could stop me, huh? I should have killed you when I first had the chance!" West's tone was low and predatory. Tony kept struggling valiantly but in his weakened state he was simply no match for his opponent's superior size and strength. "Give it up!" West growled, tightening his hold around the agent's throat. _Like hell_, Tony thought.

Gibbs burst through the door to Interrogation and kept right on going. He used his best advantage – the element of surprise – and rammed into Tony's attacker, abruptly halting the vicious assault. DiNozzo slid down the wall to end up in a gasping, shuddering heap on the floor. Gibbs cuffed Vincent West faster than seemed possible and was kneeling next to his senior agent almost at once.

"DiNozzo. Tony, can you hear me?" Gibbs had his phone out and hit the speed dial for Ducky. "Interrogation room one, Duck. Yeah, it's DiNozzo. Hurry." He snapped the phone shut and returned his attention to the younger man. "Come on, Tony. Breathe for me."

Tony was still trembling, but his breathing was evening out and he was slowly coming around when Ducky arrived. "Oh my, Anthony. Let's just take a look, shall we?" Dr. Mallard fussed over his patient, checking his pulse and examining his damaged throat. Tony flinched away from the ME's touch and hissed in pain. "Shh, my dear boy. This will make you more comfortable." Ducky injected the field agent with the full dose of painkillers that had been rejected earlier in the day.

"He okay, Duck?" Gibbs kept his voice soft. "God, this is all my fault. I shouldn't have left him alone." DiNozzo was fading fast, but was still lucid enough to try and protest. He shook his head and managed -No, not your fault- before the drugs took effect.

"Don't worry, Jethro," Ducky soothed the lead agent. "He'll be just fine. I don't believe any permanent damage has been done, and this shouldn't affect his recovery significantly. Anthony just needs to rest."

McGee and Ziva returned to find chaos. They hurried into the room and took charge of the situation. West had been knocked unconscious when Gibbs took him down, but was starting to stir. Ziva forced the suspect to his feet and toward the door. "I will take him to a holding cell." She glanced worriedly over her shoulder at her fallen partner as she roughly shoved Vincent West into the hall.

Tim knelt down at Tony's side. "Is he okay?" Tony seemed to again be fighting his way back to consciousness. "Yeah, he'll be fine," Gibbs said with finality, "but help me get him up. I want to take him home. That okay, Duck?" The ME nodded and instructed Gibbs to call if DiNozzo's condition worsened.

McGee and Gibbs gently levered the semi-conscious agent to his feet and supported his weight between them. "What happened here, Boss? We tried to locate Kara West but her neighbors haven't seen her for two days." Tim was confused.

"Yeah, I know, Tim. She's dead. Vincent West killed her once he realized she was going to murder the Staff Sergeant and frame him for it. He must have been disposing of her body when DiNozzo followed him into the woods. We'll deal with it later, for now let's just worry about Tony." McGee nodded, and the three of them slowly shuffled out to the parking garage. After helping get Tony into Gibbs' car, McGee headed back inside to help Ziva wrap things up for the night.

Twenty minutes later, Gibbs was pulling up in front of DiNozzo's building. "Come on, Tony. We're here, do you think you can make it up the stairs? I'll help you." Tony nodded, albeit woozily. Gibbs eased Tony out of the car and slung the younger man's arm over his shoulders.

Once safely in the small apartment, Gibbs helped Tony stretch out on the sofa. "How bad is it? Tell me the truth, DiNozzo." -Hurts- Tony admitted -but I'll live. I'm sorry, Boss.-

"Ah, for God's sake. You have nothing to be sorry for, I'm the one at fault here. I didn't trust West but I ignored my gut feeling. No way should you have been left alone with a man that we suspected of assaulting you." _If I hadn't made it in time..._Gibbs refused to go down that path right now. He felt guilty enough as it was.

-Had an alibi. Couldn't have known.- Tony was clearly about to fall asleep. His eyelids were heavy and his fingers moved clumsily as he continued -Sorry that I let him beat me. I should have been strong enough to take him.-

"Tony, give yourself a break. You are not invincible. You're injured and hurting, and West is huge. You did the best you could, and I'm proud of you." Gibbs didn't say such things often, so when he did it was with the utmost sincerity. He looked fondly at his senior agent and settled himself into a nearby armchair. "Now go to sleep, Tony. I've got your six."

DiNozzo managed a faint smile before finally letting go and falling into a deep sleep.


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: Last chapter! I hope y'all have enjoyed reading this as much as I've enjoyed writing it. Please review and let me know what you think of the ending! -abby

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"Finally!" was the first thing DiNozzo heard upon awakening some 14 hours later. He opened his eyes to find Abby happily grinning at him. "How's it going, Rip van Tony? I was beginning to think you'd never wake up, but I was going to stay right here until you did. Are you feeling any better?"

Tony blinked and took stock. He was definitely still sore, but his throat was not throbbing nearly as much as it had been the night before. A definite improvement. He smiled and gave Abby a thumbs-up.

"Yay!" the Goth clapped her hands and took off for the kitchen. "Come on, then, how about some breakfast?" At the mention of food, Tony realized that he was actually quite hungry and willingly headed for the table. Abby was an excellent cook, and he easily put away every bit of the eggs, bacon and chocolate chip pancakes she whipped up.

After a decent meal and a shower, Tony felt mostly back to normal. _Well, almost. Wish I had my voice back,_ he thought. He was thoroughly confused by how the previous day's events had played out. _How did Gibbs know West was going to attack me again? Or that he was the one who attacked me in the first place_? Tony remembered West jumping across the table, but after that his memory got a little fuzzy. If things had been explained at some point he certainly didn't recall the details.

DiNozzo ventured back into the kitchen, where Abby had just washed the last dish. She turned around and exclaimed, "Perfect timing! I'm ready to go. Gibbs is expecting us back at NCIS. I think he wants to keep an eye on you, Tony. He was really worried about you yesterday. You should have seen how fast he ran out of my lab! I didn't even know his bad knee would let him go that fast!" As usual, Abby started rambling. Tony gently placed his hands on her shoulders to halt the monologue. "Oh! You're right! Let's go!" She grabbed her coffin-shaped bag and the keys to her hearse and led the way out to the parking lot.

After arriving at the Navy Yard, Abby went down to her lab and Tony headed for the bullpen. Gibbs looked up as his senior agent stepped out of the elevator. "About time, DiNozzo," he said gruffly. Gibbs was pleased to see that Tony looked none the worse for wear after the second attempt on his life. The bruising on his neck didn't seem quite so severe now that DiNozzo wasn't so pale. _Abby must have gotten him to eat,_ Gibbs thought, not realizing that his own words from the night before had done the younger man far more good than even the chocolate chip pancakes.

-What happened yesterday, Boss? How did you know that West was the one?- DiNozzo didn't waste any time getting to the point. He was tired of being out of the loop. Gibbs understood Tony's frustration and explained, "You knew the bastard was lying just as well as I did. Then once Abby discovered that the other blood at the crime scene came from West's wife, it was really the only thing that made sense. Kara West killed Staff Sergeant Ramsey - it was all part of her plan to frame her husband. She wanted to get rid of him without incriminating herself, so she figured sending him to prison for murder would do the trick. Something having to do with an insurance policy."

Ziva chimed in, "Which must be how he knew her plan in the first place, between her request to see the policy and his suddenly missing security baton, West managed to piece it together." Ziva paused. "Clearly he is smarter than he looks. Anyway, he then had a friend spy on her until he knew where and when she planned on murdering the Staff Sergeant. We got a full confession this morning - he admitted to killing his wife after leaving his shift. She killed Ramsey, then he grabbed her and beat her to death with his own baton."

McGee finished up, "He was planning on cleaning up the scene and planting evidence to make it look like Kara fled the country after killing Ramsey, but you interrupted him in the middle of hiding her body. The MPs searched the woods this morning and found her in a shallow grave."

DiNozzo looked thoughtful. -That's very twisted. I'm just glad you figured it out when you did, Boss.- A smile ghosted across the lead agent's face as he thought, _Me too, Tony. _

Just then Gibbs' phone rang. After a brief conversation he hung up and said, "Ziva, you're with me. MPs at Quantico need us to tie up some loose ends. McGee, DiNozzo, write up your reports. I want them on my desk by the time we return." As they headed out, Gibbs shot a look at McGee that clearly said _Keep an eye on him_. Tim nodded as the elevator doors shut. He didn't need to be told.

The morning passed very quietly without Tony's usual irritating comments and obnoxious jokes. The two agents worked in companionable silence, interrupted occasionally by the ringing of DiNozzo's phone. Tony ignored it the first four or five times, but after several calls he finally picked up out of habit and annoyance. It was only when he put the receiver to his ear that he realized the error.

Tim immediately noticed Tony's dilemma and rose from his desk to take the phone out of the senior agent's hand. After finishing the call, McGee pressed a few buttons to access Tony's voice mail. He waited for the beep and then said "You've reached the voice mail of Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo. Agent DiNozzo is currently unavailable to take phone calls, so please contact Special Agent McGee at extension 573." Tim programmed the phone to forward all calls to his line, then replaced the receiver. As he straightened up to return to his desk, he felt a hand on his shoulder. "Thanks," Tony mouthed, a sincere smile of gratitude on his face. Tim returned the smile. "No problem, Tony."

An hour later, McGee was nearly done with his report when he suddenly realized that he could no longer hear Tony's laboriously slow two-fingered typing. Tim looked up in concern, and was greeted with a classic DiNozzo grin as a wadded piece of paper bounced off his head. Tony waved cheerfully at McGee and grabbed for his next piece of ammunition. Tim could only roll his eyes in response.

_Here we go again_, McGee thought. But somehow, this time, a few paper missiles didn't seem like such a big deal.


End file.
